The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of The Economist, earnestly attempts to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead.

Price levels

Oslo, Zurich and Tokyo most expensive
Our survey shows that Oslo, Zurich and Tokyo are the most expensive cities in the world. Prices for many goods and services are lowest in the two Indian metropolises of Delhi and Mumbai. Taking rent into account as well, the rankings remain unchanged. Tokyo has ousted Copenhagen to take third place in our price rankings compared with 2009. One remarkable finding is that when rents are included, relative price levels compared to New York move down in all cities except Hong Kong.

Wage levels

Zurich, Geneva, Copenhagen and Oslo head the rankings
The trend established in recent years has reaffirmed itself in international comparison: At the top of the index are European cities, while in the regional comparison the highest wages are, on average, paid in North
America. At the lower end of the scale are South American cities, where on average gross earnings are only about one quarter of their North American counterparts.